Good 8" speaker

[tuBass]

I have a custom 2x8 with Carvin speakers, but I think at least one of the speakers is blown. Can you recommend a great 8" speaker for bass cabs?

Used as extension cab to compliment my kappa lf 15" cab with my fender bxr 300watt head

[klyph]

Carvin sells 8" neo speakers raw for $79 apiece new. Looks like their smallest "standard" speaker is 10".

[tuBass]

Didn't have much luck with Carvin last time. Maybe they have changed speakers in the last few years

[will33]

Carvin's 8's aren't woofers. More of a mid-bass/mid driver. I'd use the one you have left that's working along with an 800hz crossover to compliment your 15.

[rpsands]

The Faital 8PR200 is the only one I would even consider. 8" speakers are junk for bass IMHO but whatever -- some people like'em.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by tuBass

Didn't have much luck with Carvin last time. Maybe they have changed speakers in the last few years

Did you run with a crossover? Without one there's no way a pair of eights won't get blown if they're trying to keep up with a fifteen.

[JimmyM]

Everything for a purpose. I'm digging my BA108 combo for the smallest stuff I do. OK, it's no SVT, but at a 100 seat restaurant, you don't need one. And there's no way in hell I'd ever put a $180 speaker in a Carvin cab. Seriously now, RP!

I was checking out the Eminence Alpha 8a recently, and it looks like it would be a versatile and inexpensive replacement for a lot of bass cabs that use 8"s.

[will33]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Everything for a purpose. I'm digging my BA108 combo for the smallest stuff I do. OK, it's no SVT, but at a 100 seat restaurant, you don't need one. And there's no way in hell I'd ever put a $180 speaker in a Carvin cab. Seriously now, RP!

I was checking out the Eminence Alpha 8a recently, and it looks like it would be a versatile and inexpensive replacement for a lot of bass cabs that use 8"s.

I think oem variants of it end up in a lot of little combo's. Under 50 watts and over 100hz, it works.

[tuBass]

I wasn't running a crossover because I never ran it that loud, and mist if the tine I used it as a keyboard monitor.

A crossover us a good idea, but I would need to find one I could turn off when I use it by itself. Don't know much about them as far as what's available, I guess more research is needed

[MR PC]

Eminence from USA Speaker.

[will33]

If your 15 is 8ohms, was thinking using the emi. off the shelf 800hz 2-way and your one good 8 and basically turn your cab into a 15/8. There'd be no reason to unhook it. It'll make the bass sound better and if anything, having the mid there would be of even greater benefit when playing keys. Not a perfect, purpose built crossover but workable, safe to use. Total cost maybe $50 on the high end and a much improved sound.

[tuBass]

The 8's I have been using are 16ohms. Does that make a difference?

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by MR PC

Eminence from USA Speaker.

MR PC,
I know Don Oatman uses/used an Eminence 8" driver, but I'm not sure what the model no. is. I believe he did some experimenting with the cones and surrounds on those speakers.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by tuBass

The 8's I have been using are 16ohms. Does that make a difference?

Yes it does. They're no doubt wired in series to make an 8 ohm load. You could use 4 ohm speakers wired in parallel to make 8 ohms, but you can't use 8 ohm speakers, or else you can only have 4 or 16 ohms as a cabinet impedance. And unfortunately, it looks like the Alpha 8a is only available in 8 ohms, which means your best bet is to call Carvin.

[BogeyBass]

The Alpha is a very low cost mid bass speaker, meaning it does not do well with bass signals below 200 and does not do much on the High end side either, the inductance is higher than alot of 10's and 12' speakers. Rather muddy speaker.

not recommended as a woofer by Eminence. Mid bass only and a rather poor mid bass at 92 dB, TS calculated
a pair at 95dB will not match his LF which is around 97 dB if I remember right.


A lower cost speaker that can somewhat work as a woofer and has much better Highend and sensitivity is the Beta8A.
94.8 TS calculated.
so as a pair should match or be slightly higher than his 97dB woofer

recommended as a mid bass or woofer applications, and as a woofer power handling drops but it can be done.
Better option for low watt fullrange or Med/high power on a crossover.

[tuBass]

The beta is what I think I have. I'll have to check.

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Yes it does. They're no doubt wired in series to make an 8 ohm load. You could use 4 ohm speakers wired in parallel to make 8 ohms, but you can't use 8 ohm speakers, or else you can only have 4 or 16 ohms as a cabinet impedance. And unfortunately, it looks like the Alpha 8a is only available in 8 ohms, which means your best bet is to call Carvin.

Read that again Jimmy y' got it backwards.

[BogeyBass]

Ahhh #### no most likely two 16ohm in parallel to make a 8ohm load. in series would be 32ohms.

So you mean each speaker was rated at 16ohms or the cabinet was rated at 16ohms with the pair.

[tuBass]

here's my build thread... they are betas (specifically Carvin PS8)

2x8 cab project-w/bedliner covering!


each speaker is 16 ohms

[will33]

Yeah, the 16ohms throws it all off. Means you'd have to roll your own crossover, not something just anybody can do...incuding me if you want something good.

So, back to square one. And Bogey's right, the beta makes a better mid. I think it's spl is up close to 96 if you only look above the crossover point. I remember looking at those to use with a couple 15's I have for that reason.

A cheap, not-so-highly engineered option would be to just get a replacement from carvin, and then put a high voltage capacitor in series with them to create a shallow highpass filter to tame down some of the low bass the 8's are seeing so you don't blow them again. It's a fairly Fred Sanford way of going about things...but, hey.

Throw your bombs.................NOW.